British Cycling National Trophy Cyclo-cross Series leaders Ian Field and Annabel Simpson will continue their bid for overall series glory in Southampton on Sunday 26 October after impressive performances in round one.
Field, who only entered the first event in Shrewsbury at the last minute, took the race from the front beating second-placed Liam Killeen by 47 seconds.
The Hargroves Cycles - Ridley RT rider is reported to be targeting the National Trophy series for the first time and is scheduled to ride five of the six events, an ominous prospect for defending series champion Paul Oldham, who was clearly struggling in Shrewsbury, feeling the effects of a pre-season injury.
Back in 2013, Oldham took victory in Southampton but will have his work cut out this time around with Field a class apart.
Oldham, along with Killeen and current third placed rider Jody Crawforth are all on the start list for Southampton, home turf for Crawforth and Field’s Hargroves Cycles – Ridley RT outfit, who will be keen for another good result.
Round one saw Annie Simpson make good her intention of filling the shoes of the absent 2013 women’s series champion Hannah Payton, who rides in Belgium this year; Simpson taking victory in the opening round ahead of hard-charging juniors Ffion James and Amira Mellor.
Charlotte Broughton was conspicuous by her absence in round one, but the prodigious talent who dominated the under-14 and under-16 categories for four years will be another junior for Simpson to worry about on Sunday.
Southampton has fond memories for Simpson, the rider taking victory at the sports centre venue in 2013, beating Payton in a straight fight and prompting early speculation of a Hope Factory Racing lockout in the elite categories.
Merce Pacios Pujado lies in fourth after the first round, the Beeline Bicycles RT rider just missing out on a podium position. But Pujado’s consistency led her to second overall in 2013 and the Spanish rider will be in the mix again in Southampton.
Alfie Moses looks to be favourite on paper to take a second victory in the junior men’s event, the Paul Milnes Cycles Cycles/Bradford Olympic RC rider coming home solo in Shrewsbury, 11 seconds ahead of Josh Waters, with Will Gascoyne a distant third. And with Waters and Gascoyne so far absent from the start list for Southampton, Moses may steal a significant march on the other title contenders.
Southampton’s Sports Centre is the venue for round two of the 2014/15 series, as it was in the preceding year and has been a regular stop on the National Trophy caravan since the 2010/11 season. Round two will utilise the same proven course as in 2013, with the Wessex Cyclo-cross Association once again promoting.
Racing begins at 10:15am with the veteran men 40-49 and concludes with the senior men’s event at 2:45pm. Reports, results, reaction and images will appear on the British Cycling website.
